Outdoor Instructor & Environmental Educator
After NYC I went on to do A-levels at Pembrokeshire College followed by a degree in Human Sciences at Oxford. Since then I’ve always been involved with connecting people with the environment, through outdoor adventure, expeditions and various educational programmes.
I love that they start formal academic learning later, in line with other European countries and plenty of research that backs up the importance of focussing on emotional, social and physical development, before academic development. The topic of my thesis at University was the importance of play during early years education. This is one of the main reasons I moved back to Pembrokeshire, to send my own children to the school.
I felt I left NYC with curiosity and the confidence to ask if I didn’t understand. We were encouraged to ask questions not only for clarification, but also to get greater depth on areas you were interested in.
NYC is good at exceptional care and warmth. It’s the opposite to a sausage factory. The teachers and the staff have the child’s best interest at heart. Providing a warm, nurturing, caring environment, this made me feel very safe and very free, free to be yourself, free to explore.
My favourite memories were on the fantastic class trips and, going to Switzerland for our final class trip. The responsibility to raise the funds, the months of build up, it all built the anticipation. The adventure while we were there, climbing mountains, the friendships and the fun. We volunteered on an alpine farm which gave me an excitement for working holidays which I still have today. The experience connected me to the landscape and the people more than if you were just a tourist.
NYC helped me foster my connection to, and love of nature, something every child needs now more than ever.
11 years at Nant-y-Cwm
